When The Sun Sets, I'll Be Waiting For You
by DarlingMyLove
Summary: Sookie is under Eric Northman's protection. He says he will protect her from the King of Arkansas, and the wolves that are pursuing her. She barely knows him but yet she doesn't hesitate to put her life in his hands. She feels drawn to him and she isn't trying to find a way to pull away from the sexy and mysterious vampire. She wants his words to come true, she wants to be his.
1. They're Coming

I was dead on my feet. I was tired since Tuesday morning. And honey, Tuesday morning was three days ago. And this was Friday night. My shift was over and I was driving home, which, to give it to you straight was not safe for me or anyone else. Besides all of that I am in fact a good driver so I didn't think I would be in too much trouble. Oh boy! I was dead, dead, wrong.

_Thunk!_

That was the sound of my busted old car smacking into what had to be a stray animal. My car hit it and then skid to a smoky stop on the left side of the road. I hopped out, snatching my keys and purse on the way.

Something was whining on the other side of the road. It lay on its back, moving side to side in pain. I say It because I didn't know what the hell it was. It wasn't a cat, dog, or any other domestic animal. And it sure was not a deer. Having seen my fair share of horror movies I could have put bank on it that it was a werewolve. I could have smacked myself having such thoughts. Vampires existed, not them.

I hit whatever the hell it was so It became my responsibility. I stepped forward. And was stopped immediately with a cold hand on my forearm.

"The dog doesn't need your help." A cool voice whispered in my ear. The man, whoever he was was close enough that I felt his chest against my back. His voice was smooth, sensual, and just the sound of it made my nipples pebble.

I couldn't find anything smart to say. And my word of the day had been "lascivious". That wasn't any help. "I hit It." Is what I finally came up with.

The man's arm slid around my waist, his hands splayed across my stomach and I became putty. "You are sleepy."

I nodded my head. I was sleepy.

"So why don't you just go ahead and go to bed?" He said to me. His voice was so soft, so alluring. I just wanted to listen. Fall to sleep.

The Thing whined again, shaking. I stepped forward again.

"_Tsk, tsk, tsk_. Come here." He whirled me around in his arms. We stood face to face, chest to...stomach. He was tall. His mouth came down on mine. And baby could he kiss. If I was sleepy, his lips sure did wake me up. His tongue licked at the inside of my mouth, playing with my tongue. His teeth nibbled on my lips. He ruled me, devoured me. And I couldn't keep up. My legs buckled beneath me and I gave in to him. The fog that started up Tuesday came back and all I wanted to do was sleep.

"I could drink you dry right now." The alluring man said to me. I looked up, and up so more at him. He had blue eyes just like mine along with blonde hair that fell just above his shoulders. His lips that had just been on mine were plump and kissable. I had just gotten proof.

I shook my head. "Don't."

His hand snaked into my hair, loosening the ponytail. "You're beautiful."

I was too sleepy to speak in sentences. "Thanks."

"What is your name?" He asked me. Those eyes were hard to deny an answer to.

"Sookie Stackhouse."

"Why do you smell the way you do?"

I tried to move my shoulders in a shrug but I couldn't.

"What are you?"

"Waitress." I replied breathlessly.

"You're going to be _mine_." He rasped. "Do you hear me?"

I heard him alright, but I passed out before I could respond.

I woke up to pounding on my door. I rolled over in bed and almost fell out of it. My cat, Tina, meowed angrily at me from the floor. Clearly ticked off at me for the loud knocking, as if it was my own doing. The pounding at the door continued.

I cursed whoever beating on my poor old door several times as I pulled on a pair of pants. I checked myself in the mirror and was stunned to see that something was written there. In bright red lipstick (my lipstick) the message said:

_Sookie, your car is gone. You hit a deer on the side of the road. Car broke. You walked home. - Eric_

Who in the hell is Eric? I didn't have time to think about who Eric was and how he had gotten into my home.

I checked the clock in the kitchen on my way to answering the door. It was only after eight a.m. I answered the door to find Bud Dearborne and Andy Bellefleur standing on my porch. They didn't look to happy to see me, which is a bit funny since they came to see me and not the other way around.

"Can I help y'all?" I didn't sound too happy either. Take _that_.

"Morning Sookie." Bud Dearborne greeted me with his small smile.

"What is your car doing on the side of the road Sookie?" Andy said, he snarled it like it was his car busted up on the side of the road.

_You hit a deer._ "I hit a deer."_ Car broke._ "My car broke down so I left it where it was." My acting skills was sure being put to work. Lying to the police, my grandmother would beat me if she knew.

Andy tugged at the waist of his pants. "You hit a deer?"

I looked at Bud, who was the Sheriff. "Yes, I was driving home and it just came out of nowhere. My car isn't what you call brand new so it-"

"_Bullshit_." Andy spat, "We found blood on the front of your car, Sookie Stackhouse." He said my name like a teasing four year old.

He was beginning to really tick me off. "Deer bleed don't they Bud?" I asked him sweetly.

Bud was turning redder than a peach. I would be embarrassed of Andy's manners myself. "Why yes Sookie...they do. Look, we just came here to make sure you were..." His thoughts told me what they were thinking. They believed I had been killed. I sure hoped they didn't call Jason.

"Here I am. Alive. Did you tow my car?"

After a bit of talking Bud and Andy were off of my porch and heading far away from me. And I was glad for it. I had work tonight and I was going to need a few extra hours of sleep to do it. I fed Tina and then fell straight to sleep. When I woke up, oh, did I have a surprise waiting for me.

I woke up with a tweak in my back, and no pep in my step. I showered, dressed, applied my make-up and then remembered that I hadn't a car. I surely couldn't use my ten year old bike that still had the training wheels attached to Merlotte's.

_Knock Knock._

Tina meowed at me as if to say, "Well aren't you popular."

I stepped around her to the door, I tried listening in on whoever was on the other side of the door but got nothing. I opened the door and had to step back in surprise. Suddenly the room turned over and the floor was beginning to seem closer and closer.

"Sookie." He gasped, and then he was there. I was safe in his arms, looking right into his baby blues.

"Who are you?" I asked, although I already knew. It was Eric. It was him. The one on the side of the road, and the one who wrote on the mirror in my room.

And he was a Vampire.

"Lover, you don't remember me?" He sounded downright hurt.

"How are you in my house? You can't come in unless I invite you in." I knew that much about Vampires.

"You did last night." He informed me. His hand roaming through my ponytail.

I was shocked, he was in my home, unfamiliar, and I didn't even mind. I felt myself wanting him to be there, I felt myself liking the way his arms held me. None of this was good news. I was getting myself in trouble. I could feel it.

"I have to get to work, and my car is...gone."

His lips lifted into one of the sexiest smiles yet, or that I believe I would ever see. "I got you one."

"What? No, I don't even know you." I was not a damn charity case.

"You will." He sounded very sure of himself too.

"I can't take a car from you, I don't-"

"You will take the car, Sookie, because I told you too."

Eric was pushy. "No, my-"

He growled, and he even did that sexy. "I ruined your other car, so I bought you a new one. See? I'm paying you back. You don't owe me."

I saw the logic in that. "Okay."

He rolled his eyes. "Humans." He muttered. "Let's go."

I grabbed my purse and keys and followed him outside. I had to stop in my tracks when I saw the car. It was a...

"It's a Dodge Dart, 2013. There aren't even out yet." He explained clearly happy with himself. Getting into the front seat. I slid into the passengers seat. "Do you like it?"

I wasn't going to lie. And plus it was a gift, I wasn't rude. "Yes."

"Good." He began pulling out of my driveway and then immediately stopped. "What in the hell is wrong with your driveway?"

It wasn't hard to notice the bumps and holes in my driveway. And I had the decency to be embarrassed. "I can't afford to fix it."

He made a noise of disgust in his throat. "Let's go. We have...things to talk about."

I nodded, trying to clear the fog out of my mind. We sure did have things to talk about.


	2. You'll Be Mine

We drove for a while in silence, and it wasn't a comfortable one. I wanted to know what was on this Vampire's mind and at the moment all the talking he said we had to do wasn't happening. He just stared at the road, driving sensibly and quietly. The only sounds I heard was my breathing and the silent hum of my new car's engine.

Silence. It was foreign to me, and my instincts wanted me to relax in it. Soak in my own thoughts for a change without hearing others. From birth I could hear people's thoughts. Every little one. No matter what it was about, if I was around I heard it. Thinking about your new boyfriend, PMS, football, food, death, sex, or your new car? I heard it all. Even though I didn't want to. It was overwhelming but I learned to handle it as I grew older. But it was never easy.

When he finally spoke, I jutted up in my seat. "You remember last night?"

I had to think about that. "Not really. I know I hit something and then" I stopped, everything was beginning to feel very hazy. "I remember you being there."

Eric sighed, which made me sighed considering he didn't even breathe. "Do you know who I am?"

I turned to look at him and was surprised that he was looking right at me. Ice blue eyes met mine framed by thick blonde eyelashes. His kissable lips in a firm straight line. "Eric."

"My name is Eric Northman, Sheriff of Area 5." I knew that title held Eric in high esteem by the way he said it. Although in my mind I was replaying a bunch of Westerns my brother loved to watch when we were kids. "That night you didn't hit a stray animal. You hit a werewolf, and it wasn't there by accident. It was hit man, someone wants you dead."

Now that was one hell of a surprise. Who in the hell would want to kill me? I was Sookie Stackhouse, barmaid, and a tax paying citizen. I asked him.

Eric shook his head, blonde hair a couple of shades lighter than his eyelashes moving over his collarbone. And what a collarbone it was, connected by the sexiest shoulders, arms, hands, fingers...I wonder what kind of sexual damage those fingers could do. My legs quivered and I shook my head trying to get ahold of myself. Someone wants you dead! Focus on that for a second.

"We don't know yet, but we'll find out." Eric said determinedly, his eyes continued to look into mine. I knew without a doubt that he would find out and I for a second I felt sorry for that person.

I bit into my lip, all of this was one big pill to swallow. It felt surreal, like I was living in a dream. Before this night I hadn't even met a vampire before. I never even met a werewolf let alone known they even existed. And just my luck I ran over one.

"Who is 'we'?" I asked.

He turned back to watching the road, I noticed we were driving incredibly slow. "Have you ever notice things about yourself, being different from others?"

Yes. "No..."

Eric snorted and somehow made it sound dignified. "Bon Temps people seem to think you're psychic."

Sunofabitch. "I am not psychic" I bit out irately.

"Then what are you?"

I turned to my window, looking as the scenery went by...quite slowly. "A waitress."

Eric didn't say anything after a while. I think he could hear the hurt in my voice and didn't want to push me over the edge even if he didn't understand. He pulled over on the side of the road and I could feel him looking at me. Which I wouldn't turn around he grasped my forearm. "Sookie, I'm here to help you" He said softly.

It was the way he said it that made me turn around to face him. "I can hear people's thoughts." I whispered. I had never said that out loud before in the last decade.

I thought I would see the same look I saw on everyone when they saw me. The "You're a freak" look. But it didn't even cross his face. He didn't look sympathetic to my feelings either though. instead he nodded his head. "That makes sense."

I don't know if he was noticing what he was doing but his thumb was moving softly against my skin in circles. It felt good to be touched, even comforting. And irrationally I didn't want him to let go of me, I didn't want him to stop with those little circles on my arm. "So? Who is this We again?"

"The Queen of Louisana." He said as if that title was supposed to mean something to me.

"Come again?" Bidding him to explain.

He rolled his eyes, probably annoyed that he had to explain something to a human. "She rules the vampires of Louisiana."

Oh, shit, how had she heard of me? "And what's her interest in me?"

He looked at me like he hadn't thought I would be asking so many questions. "Want me to be frank?"

I nodded.

His eyes flashed a bit of pity for me and then disappeared as quick as it came. Eric stared at me for a minute, looked away, back, and then spoke. "You can hear thoughts without them being said aloud. She can use that. She wants to help you so then you will..." He came to a lost at the end.

"Owe her one?"

Eric grinned and it was sexy as hell. "Yes, you'll be in her debt."

"I'm not sure how I like that." I replied honestly.

He shook his head, "You shouldn't."

"So how do you guys know that someone is after me?" I didn't say this but from all I know they sent that wolf to kill me. Killed it before it could say anything to me and are now acting like they're saving me from enemies that weren't even there.

Eric must have read my face. "Do you know a woman named Marsha Timmons?"

"Jason's ex-girlfriend." I remembered him breaking up with her which was a relief to me. I had always known that something was wrong with her, but I hadn't known what.

"She's a werefox." He told me. "From what I was told one night while Jason was drunk he started talking about you. Said sometimes he wished he had a normal sister not someone who could read people's minds. Marsha was really interested in that." He looked at me to make sure I hadn't spaced off and then continued.

"Marsha went back to her pack and told them about you. One of them, his name is Josh is a friend of a vampire named Javier." His lips folded back into a snarl as he continued. "Who coincidentally is in the good graces of the Vampire of Arkansas. His interest piqued about you, no one has ever heard of a telepath. Without contacting the Queen he sent someone to come fetch you."

"The wolf?"

He nodded, "It seems like the wolves here aren't too happy with the Queen. We've heard the stirrings of a war beginning but from what I can tell they just want to overthrow Sophie-Anne. They can't do it themselves so they thought they would start a war between us and Arkansas."

"Who told the Queen that they were coming after me?"

"A friend of the Queens." And I knew he wouldn't be naming names.

I looked at the dashboards clock and cursed. "I have to be at work in five minutes."

And then we were off.

Work flew by as I worked. I didn't chit-chat with the other waitresses and I ignored the long looks from Sam. I had other things on my mind, you know just the welfare of my life. I wondered if I was going to survive this night.

I was refilling the ketchup bottles when a female vampire walked into the bar. She looked a few years younger than me physically. Her breasts were pert, and sitting up nicely in a form-fitting pink sweater. Her jeans hugged her comfortably but not loose. She scanned the bar and then sat at a booth in my section. She spotted me and gave me a toothy grin. It was hard not to smile back. Eric told me she would be coming.

After I was down with the ketchup I approached her. "Hi, I'm Sookie." I greeted her, I didn't offer my hand to shake. I heard vampires didn't really like that.

She continued to smile. "I'm Pam."

I smiled at her blankly and then remembered who I was. "Would you like some True Blood?"

She nodded. "O positive."

"I'll get that for ya, and then we'll be out of here." I told her. I went back to the bar and began the heating process. Which was just placing the bottle of synthetic blood in the microwave. I had a minute to wait.

"Sookie." Sam said. Uh-oh.

I knew I was in for it. "Yes, Sam?"

"Why is there a vampire in my bar?"

"She's a friend." I hesitated between the words so I knew he wouldn't' believe me.

He scrutinized my face. "Are you in trouble?"

"Nothing I can't handle on my own, boss." I said firmly.

He gritted his teeth, his thoughts filled with fury for me. Sam didn't think I could handle what trouble I was in. He thought he should march up to that vampire and demand to know why she was in his bar and talking to me. Which would be the death of him. He decided he wouldn't.

"Fine. "He said finally, "Just be careful dammit."

"Aren't I always?" I asked sweetly.

He snorted, not at all like Eric and stalked away.

I grabbed my purse from behind the bar. Snagged Pam's blood from the microwave and came back to her table. She was sitting still as a statue staring straight ahead. It was like she was dead. "Pam?" I called to her softly.

Her head snapped towards me quickly. "Yes?"

I placed the blood on the table in front of her. "On the house."

Pam drunk her blood as we drove to my place. It felt different from riding with Eric. Since when I was with him I was completely comfortable. Pam was another story altogether, she scared me. She was the second vampire I had met, and I was sure I would be meeting more.

"A lot of excitement is surrounding you." She said out of the blue.

"I heard." I said grimly.

Pam was beaming ear to ear. "Those stupid dogs have went a little too far on their leashes."

"What's going to happen?"

"They'll be dealt with." She told me.

My mind wasn't wrapping around all of this. "Were's are a completely different species than vampires."

"They're inferior". She stated like it was known fact.

"Right, but they're a different species. So how come your Queen reigns over them?"

She looked over at me like I was dumb. "Becuase they're inferior to us."

I mentally groaned. "Whatever. That's like saying the Queen bee is also Queen of the flies. They're a different species, they wou-"

Pam finally got what I was trying to get across. "You're looking at it wrong. Think of it as vampires are Lions. We're the King of the Jungle..."

I finished for her. "So all the other animals just fall in line."

She nodded, "or get killed."

I shivered visibly. "Got it."

"The Queen wants you protected so you are. You don't have to worry about anything. As long as we are around no one will harm you."

And that's why when the sun rose and the Vampires were dead to the world the were's came to get me.


	3. No Harm Done

I knew something was wrong when I got up that afternoon, but I didn't know what it was. I got dressed after watching a few episodes of a t.v show I had recorded to get some errands done but I never made it out of the door to do them. Just as I was reaching for my purse my mind caught the hold of three buzzing little brains entering the back of my house. I immediately abandoned the living room to go searching for the shotgun my grandma kept in the closet "just in case".

They made it to me first. The first man grabbed me roughly from the back, my hair clenched in his fist as he dragged me to the ground. "I got her!" He called out to the others.

I kicked, scratched, and spat at him, but he didn't loosen his hold. Suddenly I got so angry, so distraught I went to punch him in the face but I didn't. Light beamed out of my hand and struck him in the face. He flew off of my body and crashed into my couch, I could hear the wood splintering underneath. I didn't stop to stare however, I got up off my ass and ran. Right into a large chest. Goddamnit.

"Going somewhere?" The wolf asked me, he slammed his fist into my head and I was out for the count.

I woke up in a plain van. My hands were tied behind my back and I had a raging headache. I groaned as I moved from laying on my back to sitting upright. I blinked a few times to clear out the fogginess in my vision. There he was, the bastard who had punched me into unconsciousness. He sat in front of me grinning ear to ear.

It didn't take a telepath to know what he was thinking. He was smug that he had knocked me out. "How does that head feel?" Yep, smug.

I couldn't help myself, I smiled right along with him but not for the same reason. In stressful times that smile just sprung out on my face and it wasn't a thing I could do to stop it. "Amazing." I lied.

His smile faltered but then held strong. "The bitch is awake." The werewolf called out to the others. One guy, the one I had blasted into the couch looked back at me. And I fell into laughter, he had a knot on his forehead bigger than Texas.

He smiled nastily, "You won't be smiling once the King of Arkansas gets his hands on you."

I audibly gulped. I didn't want to meet the King.

_Smash!_

The van swerved and then ran off the road. The driver yelled incoherently to the others but that didn't last long. Blood spewed on the window and he slumped in his sleep, his head hitting the horn hard. The wolf in the passenger's seat tried to control the window but a few seconds later he was down for the count too.

The car ran into a tree and the impact knocked me and the other bad, bad wolf into each the seats.

"What the-" The wolf began, but he didn't finish. The backdoor to the van was opened and a giant of a man wielding a shotgun shot him between the eyes. His blood sprayed on my face, neck, and chest. Kidnapping I could deal with, having a man's blood in my cleavage? I could not. I screamed, and I screamed loud.

"Sookie, _listen_, we have to get out of here. Get out of the van." The man yelled at me. "You hear me? Let's GO!" That voice wasn't to be ignored.

I gathered my wits and scooted out of the van. He helped me gain my feet and untied the ropes that bound my wrist. "Eric, had me watching over you." The man explained to me.

"Wow, you did an amazing job. I mean you really stopped those guys when they ambushed me in my own home. Tore the place up, and knocked me on my ass." I babbled. "You're great at your job." I was being sarcastic of course.

He jerked me towards a parked car by holding on to my wrist. "I needed to see where they were taking you."

"They were taking me to the King of Arkansas." I told him irately.

He looked back at me, and I saw just how handsome he was. Yum. Wait, no. He sucked at his job. "Well they were going the wrong way." Was all he said.

"What's your name?" I asked as I took my seat in the cab of his car.

He glanced over at me and I startled to realize his eyes were a vivid purple. "Quinn."

Quinn didn't like to talk much so I tried to read his mind. Quinn was definitely not fully human, but I knew he wouldn't tell me if I asked. And he would ask how I knew he wasn't human. His thoughts didn't come how I was used to them, and it was hard to read him. Damnit.

"So where are you taking me?" I needed to know that much. "And what time is it?"

"It's four in the afternoon, I'm guessing you lost some time in that van. Anyway, I'm taking you to Shreveport to wait until Eric wakes up. It isn't safe for you to be in Bon Temps right now. And Eric told me to take you here if anything came up."

Ha, something definitely "came up" alright. But I wasn't sure how I liked the fact that Eric was making decisions on my life without asking. He didn't even tell me that someone was watching over me. Pam had mentioned I would be safe as long as the Vampires kept watch over me I guess she forgot about the day.

Quinn had a home in Shreveport. Once we arrived we had about two hours until the sun set and we wasted it playing cards, talking and drinking beer. I really needed that beer. Quinn was well over six feet tall, with wide shoulders, a small waist and a killer smile. He flashed his pearly whites at me while we played Tunk and I knew he was flirting and trying to distract me.

"Your dimples aren't going to win you this game, sweetie." I teased, letting him know I was on to his little game.

Quinn grinned and sat back in his chair. The beer opened his mind to me. He was thinking what was a beautiful, smart girl doing messing around with Eric Northman. I don't know how I felt about that. Eric was sweet to me, and he was protecting me.

"People are going to be worrying about me." I said.

Quinn bit his lip, "like your boyfriend?" he said with displeasure.

I fought the urge to smile. "I don't have a boyfriend, Quinn."

That was a shocker to him. "Then what does Eric want with you?"

I didn't like the way he said that and I gave him a look that told him so. "No offence, I just know that Eric doesn't do anything that isn't for his own gain." Quinn elaborated.

"Is that right?" Eric asked coolly, he appeared from behind me and took a seat beside me at the kitchen table.

I didn't sense one ounce of fear from Quinn and that made me like him even more. I looked to Eric and my mouth watered. He was unbelievably good looking. Even Quinn's ruggedness didn't match up to Eric, but he was somewhere behind him. Eric's baby blue eyes met mine and I saw anger. His face however, was cool as December.

"Explain to me what happened in detail." Eric didn't even look at me as Quinn spoke but I could feel all his energy directed at me. My body shivered, although I my blood was hot as blazes. I _barely_ knew this man and he didn't even have to look at me for my body to react. I wonder if this was how all Vampires were. That had to be it.

After Quinn finished Eric nodded his head without a thank you and stood up. He offered me his hand and I took it, raising to my feet too. "Thank-you, Quinn." I said to him, I was thoroughly grateful.

Eric turned towards me, his eyes not meeting mine. He pushed loose hair away from my face and placed it behind my ear. "Your payment for your job will be wired to your account." He said to Quinn, his voice distant and detached, he was reminding me that Quinn had been paid to protect me. He wasn't a knight in shining armor. More like a hired gun. He looked me in the eyes then, and I saw he was still upset. As he moved my hair he saw my neck, scratches and bruises were still raw and sensitive there. He rolled my sleeves up from my shirt and saw the bruises there.

All of a sudden Eric was a statue. He didn't move as he looked at the bruises and scratches. "I _knew_ I smelled blood. Quinn...you didn't explain _these_." Fury rolled off of Eric in waves and his fury was directed at none other than Quinn. He was angry because I had been hurt, I had been bruised. In my heart I knew that wasn't just because the Queen would be displeased.

Quinn didn't look happy either. He looked over the table at me and to my arms. "I...I didn't see those. She hid them." He accused me, not happy that I hadn't shown him.

"You didn't bother to ask if I was okay, so let's not blame the blame game." I bit out. I tugged my arms away from Eric and rolled my sleeves down. Then I pulled my hair over my shoulders and down my collar bone. "Can we go now?

He looked away from me, "After you." Eric answered sardonically. I didn't like this side of him at all. "I'll be calling you later on tonight, so we can _discuss_..." He said to Quinn, and then we were off.

* * *

Pam wasn't too happy that her word had been broken. She didn't bring up what she said but I could sense she wasn't happy. "That little pet of yours failed."

"Shut up, Pam." Eric said quietly but firmly.

Pam didn't hear him. She was tapping her Louboutins on the floor, ticked off. "I never liked that-"

"I said 'shut up'!" Eric roared.

Pam indeed shut up and then stormed off back to the bar, leaving Eric and I alone in his office. He sat at his desk and I sat in the chair in front of him. Eric stared at me and then closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. It was such a human thing to do I was stunned.

"So what's next?" I asked softly, not wanting to wake up that beast in him that Pam had.

He opened his eyes and stood up, striding to the front of his desk he knelt before me. I never thought I would see the day a Vampire would kneel in front of me. He pulled a pocket knife out of his jacket and slit his wrist. Blood pulled out and he rubbed his fingers into the wound before it could close. "Let me heal you."

How could I say no, when he had already endured pain just so I wouldn't feel any? I nodded my head and his fingers went to work. I could feel my skin closing back over itself on my neck and arms instantly. There was still stiffness in my body but I was sure I would have to ingest blood for that to work itself out. "That was kind of you..." I thanked him. He smiled at me warmly and I couldn't resist to smile back. But then that smile vanished, he stood up and sucked the blood from his fingers and returned back to his seat.

"I talked to the Queen, and she agreed that we should put more security on you." There will be two vampires watching you at night, and I have some other beings who will watch your home during the day." Eric explained, he was looking at me but it was as if I was transparent. The Eric who had just injured himself so I could be pain free was gone. Cold, distant, and businesslike Eric was here.

The I-can-take-care-of-myself woman in me wanted to tell him I didn't need anyone watching over me. I did fine just by myself but the smarter part quickly shut the other part up. I needed all the protection that could be given to me. Oh! "Quinn will be apart of the...er...team?"

His eyes practically shot blue sparks at me. Snarling "_no_" at me.

_Well soooorry._ I rolled my eyes, "It wasn't his fault-"

"I paid him to make sure you were not harmed and he _failed_. It _is_ his fault, so don't let your little crush get in the way of that." Eric thought I had a crush on Quinn? Was that why he was angry? What are we in High School?!

I resisted the urge to roll my eye again. "I don't have a crush on Quinn. Besides the fact that I was a bit roughed up, he completed his job."

"If you had broken your arm, or lost a few fingers. Would you still say he "_completed his job_" simply because your _little human life_ was saved?" He yelled at me. I hadn't been yelled at in years, by anyone. Customers gave me shit but they never yelled. I was near tears but I wouldn't let one drop.

He had a point but I was stubborn enough not to give it to him. Tonight had been much too stressful, I just wanted to go home and go to bed in my bed. "I'm going home."

Eric pushed a button on the landline phone in front of him, "Pam have-"

"I'll call my brother. I owe too many favors to you." I slid out of my chair and without a goodbye I walked out of his office. Pam spotting me in the crowd followed me and handed me her cell phone.

"Master wanted me to give this to you so you can call your brother." She said disdainfully. I don't think she was very happy with her 'Master'.

I smiled meekly, "I know he told you to let me borrow it but thanks." I called my brother and he told me he'll be there in twenty minutes since he was already in Shreveport on a 'mission' (sex). I gave Pam her phone back and left Fangtasia. I cried as I waited for my brother. Sometimes life was just too much.


	4. Worry Free

It had been two weeks after that fearful night waiting for my brother at Fangtastia. Eric hadn't talked to me since, instead he passed along messages by using his protege Pam. She was nice if not stoic and I couldn't help missing his voice, and that scared me. He hadn't made any advances on me except for that first time we met. He had told me I would be his. And now...nothing. I wondered if my kindness towards Quinn had made him take a dislike to me.

Sighing from thinking about a man who had no interest in me I turned back towards the kitchen and placed the food ticket in front of Lafayette. "Two cheeseburgers without mustard."

Lafayette dropped a plate on the counter and Arlene came and swooped it up, going back to a waiting table. We watched her go before Lafayette turned to me. He cocked a plucked eyebrow and scowled. "What's wrong, Sooks?"

I sighed again, heavily. "It's a guy."

I hadn't seen her come back but Arlene was now standing beside me. "Oh, Sooks you got you a man? Who is it?"

I shook my head, I was talking too much. Taking a step back a smile spread, and stretched tightly across my face. "No, I was talking about one of my last customers. He.."

Arlene's face fell in understanding, false understanding. "You heard him say something mean about you?"

I knew what she meant by '_heard' _and I wanted to roll my eyes. Not all of my problems were connected to my...ability. Then I remembered the King and the wolves and changed my mind. It was one of my biggest problems. I bobbed my head, and took the platters that the other cook placed before me and went to serve my tables.

It was disconcerting how calm I felt as I thought about the tall, pale Vampire. His bright blue eyes, and smile lit up my heart and I breezed through my tables. And I wasn't even bothered by their thoughts, with Eric on my mind their babbling turned into a humming sound at the back of my head.

After closing up a few hours later I made my way, tiredly, to my car. I couldn't wait to get home to a nice hot shower and then bed. After locking my doors I made my way down the driveway of Merlottes on to the main road.

"You are going to be a _very _big pain in my ass." Eric Northman said from my backseat.

Shocked I whipped my head back and saw him glaring back at me. If I wasn't so enthralled at the fact that he was in my car, two feet away staring me in the eye I probably would have screamed. It wasn't everyday you found a Vampire in your car. "Eric." I said breathlessly, I couldn't help my voice.

"Yes, it is me. _Drive_." It was clear that Eric Northman wasn't too happy with me and my lack of attention. I turned around in my seat and began to drive home. Not seeing him for two weeks made his appearance even more welcome. In the silence I couldn't help but think, and my thoughts turned to him slashing his wrists to heal my wounds. It was such a protective and selfless act that his coldness after had hurt.

The silence was killing me, I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to hear him speak to me. "Have you been very busy?"

"Why are you interested?" He replied coldly.

I looked in my rearview mirror at him and saw him staring at the back of my head with narrowed eyes. "I was just wondering why you haven't called, you've been passing messages through Pam." I tried to sound less bitter but it was there nonetheless.

I watched him rake a hand through his hair and he looked out the window rather than my head. "She's my protege she does my bidding when told to."

"That's not what I was getting at." I snapped, pulling into my driveway I gathered my purse and keys and exited the car. Eric followed and made his way up to my stairs. I locked my car and unlocked the front door to my home. Eric followed me in and I couldn't help but feel the relief in being back in my home.

I tossed my jacket on the back of the table chair and like the good hostess I am heated a bottle of True Blood for Eric. He sat down at my table and seeing him there at my old but sturdy table in his high end clothes and haircut made my pride hurt. "What were you getting at?" Eric asked as if there wasn't a three minute delay in our conversation. He looked up at me as I handed him his bottle knowingly. What was he playing at? He ignored me for two weeks to what? Make me miss him, want him?

"There were important things I had to take care of so I had Pam handle a few calls." He said nonchalantly as he sipped at the warm bottle. He sat there looking up at me like he hadn't just called me unimportant in a roundabout way. I turned my back towards him to the fridge and grabbed a pitcher of lemonade. I wouldn't' be able to say this to his face.

"How is Quinn?" I asked sweetly. I hadn't thought about Quinn in the two weeks passing but I knew that Eric disliked him immensely.

Eric decided to ignore my question. "There hasn't been any talk coming from the King of Arkansas since...your kidnapping. He's been ignoring the Queen's summons so we're going to take action. I wanted to make you were aware that his wolves may try to attack you."

My hands visibly shook as I held the glass of lemonade to my lips. "Okay." I said meekly to let him know I was still capable of speaking.

Eric shook his head, his lustrous blonde hair sliding across his read button up dress shirt. "You are...I don't understand."

"Understand what?"

He stood up and closed the distance between us. Eric's body pressed intimately into mine and I felt his hardness against my stomach. "How a little human can captivate me so."

"You said I would be yours." I said softly looking up into his eyes.

He sucked in a sharp breath and just as he had been so close he stepped away from. He may as well had been miles away, a sudden chill filled the void that he had left.

"Forget what I said. Forget it all." He said and then he was gone from my kitchen and my home.

Things went back to normal, with Pam sending messages back and forth between Eric and I. I continued to work, and try to keep up with my bills. The thing was, times were definitly hard for little old Sookie Stackhouse. Gran had been in the hospital in a coma for months and I had been failing at keeping up with her medical bills. I refused to ask Jason for help since he already thought I was incompetent in taking care of myself. He thought everything was fine, and plus he had never even offered to take care of Gran's bills since he got paid more at his job. No I would not ask him for help. On one of my days off I cleaned up the house top to bottom and began sorting through my bills. And found that one was missing. It was one of my Gran's medical bills, the one I owed more than I got paid in three months. I looked up and down the house for it and couldn't find it anywhere. When was that due? Damnit.

I called the hospital to check on Gran and asked about the payment. When the Nurse checked the database she came back irately to tell me that the bill had already been paid in full including the backpay I owed on the other ones. How the hell had that happened? I called Jason but he didn't know anything about Gran's bills and blew me off for Dawn at Merlotte's.

The only other it could have been was Eric. Of course he had done it. There was no one I knew could pay such a hefty amount of money at once. I called Fangtasia and of course Pam answered reciting a morbid greeting. "Hey, sunshine, it's Sookie."

"Eric is busy sitting in his throne." Pam told me sarcastically. If it were up to Pam she wouldn't be parading around at Fangtasia with humans.

"Oh, that's okay. I wanted to ask you something. What did you guys do about...you know."

"Oh, that." Pam said, her voice rising in excitement. "Let's just say things got a bit messy and I had fun. Don't worry your pretty little head, Eric is working around the clock to-Oh, here he is."

There was a few back noises before Eric got on the phone. "Trying to wheedle information out of Pam are you?" I could almost see him smiling at me, I knew I felt it.

"I had a question for you..." I trailed off. He didn't say anything else so I pushed the words from my mouth. "Did you pay my Gran's medical bills off?"

He was quiet for a while, the back noise of the club goings was all I heard. Vampires didn't breathe. "Yes, I'm certain you don't have a problem with that do you?" His tone told me I had better not have one.

"I can take care of my grandmother, I-"

His nonchalance was gone, his voice came like a lash from a whip to my ears. "You clearly can _not_ take care of yourself and your grandmother at the same time. Her medical bills are more than you can afford on the salary that you have."

It was a small consolation that he didn't mention my barmaid wages. I opened my mouth to speak but he cut me off again. "As long as you're under my protection I'll take care of your grandmother's medical bills. I-"

"That isn't your responsibility!" I protested, clenching my cellphone tighter in my hand. Once was enough, my pride wouldn't allow him to pay my Gran's bills. To take care of her just because I was falling a bit behind. "I'm taking care of her just fine!" I shouted into the receiver. Tears burned at my eyes.

"I'll make sure she's taken care of like she did for me." I said softly. When Jason and I's parents died, Gran was the one to pick up the pieces and take care of us. I wanted to do the same for her.

"I saw your refrigerator that night, Sookie. It was practically bare...I can't believe your brother is letting you take the burden of your grandmother like he is. Letting me help you doesn't mean you're failing your Gran. Do you truly believe she would want you stressing yourself on her behalf?"

"How can I pay you back?" I asked him giving up.

I didn't expect an answer but he did. "I have a job for you, it requires your...special skills." He said back to his businesslike stature. "I'll pick you up tomorrow night, dress formally. Sweet dreams, Sookie."

"Good night, Eric." I said hanging up. Why oh why did I miss his voice already?

**More characters will be introduced in the following chapter. Hope you enjoyed this one, tell me what you would like to see or what you wished I would include. Thank you for reading!**


	5. Ruin

When I woke up that morning Jason was mowing the lawn, shirtless and sweating. His face was red from the sun and his shoulders were burnt but he kept pushing that mower. Stepping away from the kitchen window I went to the fridge to get the pitcher of lemonade. My jaw dropped to see my fridge and freezer stocked with food. This was unexpected and I shut my mouth and smiled. My brother was looking out for me. It seemed like everyone was doing that for me lately. Now that was a blow to my ego.

I poured the lemonade, and made him a sandwich from the corn beef cold cuts he bought. I waved him into the house and cut the mower off and came in happy to get a break. He sat in front of me at the table smiling ear to ear. "Hey, sis"

"Morning, Jason. What's come over you?" I asked teasingly.

He took a bite of his sandwich, talking between bites. "Huh?"

I gestured towards outside and then my fridge. "The stuff you're doing."

Jason shrugged. "Shit, Sookie you're my sister. I know...I know I haven't been doing much but it's just not fair that you're taking care of Gran's bills. My heads been up my ass." He glanced downward after that, not wanting to meet my eyes.

"Oh...who pulled it out?"

He sighed heavily, "You're going to cut into me aren't ya?"

I shook my head, my hair limp on my shoulders. "No, I just...we haven't talked much since she slipped into the coma."

"I know sis, but I'm here now. I went to see her and I just thought how she would be set to lay her hands on me if she knew how I was treating my sister." Jason sounded more sincere than he'd been his entire life.

"Okay. Um, we can go half on Gran's bills. Her medical pays for most of it but the rest we can split." I offered.

Jason nodded, "Sounds good. When is the next bill?"

"Next month."

"Alright." He said standing up, he kissed me on the cheek and strutted out the door. "Love ya, sis."

"Love you too, Jase."

When Jason left I cleaned my home to bottom again, visited my Gran, and went back home to get ready to see Eric. Night came quicker than I thought it would and when Eric knocked on my door I didn't expect my heart to leap into my throat but it did.

I opened the door, and my breath caught at Eric's immediate appraisal of my outfit I wore. His eyes rolled down my entire body, and for a second it was like he could see through my clothes the way his eyes heated. We were feet apart and his arm reached out to caress the patch of skin that wasn't covered by my blouse. "You look stunning." He rumbled.

"Thank you." I couldn't stop staring at him. My heart thumped and I imagined he heard it. Pretty sure I was right as his finger swept down my shirt to where my heart was. "You don't look bad yourself."

His mouth curled into a crooked smile as his blue eyes met mine in a heated beam. "Come, we're taking my car."

I grabbed my purse and keys, locked up my house and followed him to his car. It wasn't ostentatious, in fact his car screamed money and arrogance. It was small, sleek, red, and no doubt it was fast. I loved the way that Eric drove it too, for a man to have control of something that was fast and powerful turned me on. Big surprise.

"So where are you taking me?"

Eric didn't even look at me. "Are you nervous?"

I shook my head although I was lying. "What are going to do?"

His attention stayed on the road. "An acquaintance of mine needs help." And that was all he gave me.

I looked between the lines. "And I need to dig into a few human minds to help them? "

He nodded his head, not bothering to look my way.

Frustrated I balled my fists at my sides. "We both know you don't need to look at the road to drive so why won't you look at me?"

Although he also didn't need to breath he inhaled deeply and released it. "Because that outfit you're wearing, that I guess you thought was _formal _makes me want to tear it off of you and fuck you right here in this car until you scream my name, and come as many time as I want you to." His voice was low, raspy, tense, and I wondered just how much he was restraining himself from doing just that. My tits swelled, and I found myself uncomfortably wet. I closed my legs and looked straight ahead. Eric's nose flared audibly and the windows rolled down. "I can _smell _you, Sookie."

I gasped, and closed my legs even tighter. I looked over to him and a hard to miss erection pressed against his pants.

"You are a going to ruin me...I can tell." He said in that low voice of his.

My heart was racing, my hands shook, and my body was surging with need. For Eric. "Your ruin?"

He kept his eyes on the road, driving faster than he was before. "I'm the Eric Northman. Sheriff of Area Six, I have power, I have strength. I am feared, and I have no fear. The thought of fucking you in that little skirt on the side of the road makes me hard. But I know once it happens, I'll want more, and more, and more of you. And it's not just your pussy that I want. I want you...I can't get you out of my head. I've been trying to stay away, and not take what I want but...the thought of you with anyone else, like that fucking Quinn makes me seethe."

"That's why you've been so hot and cold with me?"

He chuckled and damn was it sexy. "hot and cold?"

"Yes!" I bit out indignantly. "One night you're telling me 'you're mine' and the next you're telling me to forget you." At that point I was kneeling in my seat facing him and stabbing my finger in the air towards him accusingly.

His glaciarial eyes narrowed at me and in a flash he had pulled me into his lap and his mouth descended on mine in a breathtaking, toes curling, panty wetting kiss. His tongue rolled with mine, while he kissed me senseless. He nibbled, teased, and I was in bliss. His hands kneaded my ass and my skirt had ridden up so that his hands touched my skin. I loved the contact, I basked in it.

Then he pulled back, he didn't breathe but the way his hands held me I knew he was tense and restraining himself to do more. "Get back in your seat, Sookie."

"But..."

"_Go_!" He demanded. I unhooked myself from him and got back into my seat. Now I was the one angry. Damn him.

I straightened my skirt and buckled my seatbelt so I wouldn't scramble out of my seat again but this time it would be to hit him. He didn't move for a while, I'm countng minutes. I cleared my throat. "We're going to be late." I said, even though I didn't even know what time we were supposed to be...where ever we were supposed to be.

We arrived at a bar around ten called The Hide. Great name.

Instead of entering the bar through the entrance we were escorted through the back door. A woman wearing too much make up and not enough clothes ushered us into an office in the basement and then left us to our lonesome. The office was empty except for the furnishings and the light thump of music from above us.

Seconds before I was about to open up my mouth to complain a crowd of vampires walked in to the room. The tallest out of the bunch sat at the desk and the rest stood to the sides of the room.

"Eric you came." He greeted him. "Early..."

Eric smiled and it wasn't a very welcoming one. "I am _never _early or late, as your Sheriff your schedule is flexible when it comes to me." He let that sink in and in a jovial voice said "You need a situation handled? I bought my telepath"

It was hard not to swing my head around to glare at him. _Your _telepath? Instead I smiled at the tall redheaded vampire. "Nice to meet you."

The vampire forced a smile. "It's a pleasure to have you two as my company this evening. Now there is a situation that needs to be..._handled_. A human employee named Kyle was murdered two days ago. Usually I deal with these things myself, but who denies the Sheriff a personal see through? Rumors have it that a human who works for me knows who did the crime. I need you to tell me who that is."

That sounded simple enough, however I was sure that if human was withholding information that human would be killed to keep things in line. I shouldn't have but I spoke my mind anyway. "You're going to kill the human who knows aren't you?"

The vampire lied to me through pearly white teeth. "No, there has been enough violence."

"Good. Then I want your word that the human involved doesn't get killed because they were too scared to tell." On the inside I was shaking in my boots or more accurately my heels. But I spoke firmly and I made sure he knew my conditions were non negotiable.

The vampire swung his head to Eric. "She can't be serious-"

"I am." I piped up.

Eric gave the vampire a look of indifference. "She's serious. And you'll accept her conditions. No humans will be harmed Donald."

A vampire named Donald? What in the hell made him keep that name?

Donald shrugged, "Fine. Bring in the first human."

The first, second, third, and fourth hadn't any information connected to Kyle. A few of the Vampires left out of boredom but two stayed with Donald, Eric, and I. "Bring in the fifth." Donald said leaning back in his chair, staring at me arrogantly.

The fifth human..._person _was a short, bottle-blonde woman. She strutted in and gave Donald a head-nod before sitting in the chair they placed before me.

She crossed her bare legs and gave me get-on-with-it look. "So?"

I smiled tiredly. "Hi, I'm Sookie."

"I know." She said.

"You do? How?"

She shrugged like it didn't matter but her mind was in a frenzy_. Ugh, you're going to fuck it all up for yourself you idiot, shuddup! _"The others were bitching about you."

I nodded, that made sense none of them were happy to talk to me. "What's your name?"

"Toni." She bit out.

"You work with Kyle much?"

_I wasn't the one to kill him bitch!_ "Yeah we worked together."

"Do you know who was the one who murdered him?"

_Omg she's going to get me killed, she's going to get me killed. It wasn't supposed to be like this._ "Of course not, if I knew I would tell you."

I leaned back in my chair, Toni knew who had done it. But why would she be scared in a room with just the five of us? No one was threatening her. "Why?"

Toni, confused, tilted her head at me. "Whataya mean?"

"Why would you tell me? You don't even know me."

"Be..because I want to help you." She sputtered. _Oh shit...Kyle I'm sorry. It wasn't supposed to be like this. You shouldn't have been digging. Damnit. _

"Wouldn't you want to help your employer out?" I said gesturing towards Donald who was now hunched over his desk unmoving, staring at the back of Toni's head.

_shit...she knows. Donald wants Eric dead. Donald is going to kill me too. I shouldn't have involved myself._ "Yes, of course I would want to help Donald. This is my job, my life."

I stared at her some more, acting as if I was using telepathy and then shook my head at Eric. "She doesn't know anything."

Toni was escorted outside of the door and then the door was locked and shut. I gave Eric another look I knew why he had bought me on this job. He wanted to know if one of the vampires he reined was conspiring against him. And he was right. But how could I tell him? Oh

I forced my bartending persona out. Bubbly, dumb and always smiling. I looked behind us at the other vampires and then back at Eric. "Before we continue I really need to use the bathroom."

Donald who had relaxed once Toni was out of the room grinned at me. "It's right down the hall."

I couldn't walk fast enough after the office door closed behind me. I went into one of the other open stalls in the bathroom and texted Eric. "Donald wants you dead. Kyle found out." Hopefully he would put the pieces together before I got back. I headed out of the stall and found that the bathroom had been emptied of the primping women I saw before.

"You know, don't you bitch?" It was Toni and before I could swing around she landed a blow to my back. "Donald should be Sheriff not Eric!" She screeched.

My heels finally had a purpose tonight, I kicked my leg back and turned to see her picking her self up from the floor. She lunged towards me and I landed blows to her face, chest, and arms. Punching until I saw, red. Literally. Her nose was visibly broken, and blood pooled from her lip. I wasn't defenseless and I damn sure wasn't a damsel in distress. I could handle myself.

She fell down and I kicked her in the gut, she rolled over clutching her stomach. I gave her one last kick and a "bitch" before I stepped over her limp body and walked back to Eric. What I walked in on was unexpected, and messy. Donald was no more. He was _dead _dead. I don't even want to get into what was laying on that floor.

Eric who was covered with blood gave me a look over and scowled at the bruise I knew had to be on my cheek. He swept a clean hand over the bruise and his eyes narrowed. "Toni?"

I nodded my head looking up at him, seeing all that tenderness directed at me made my heart clench along with other parts of my body. "She's in the bathroom...and not in the best shape."

Eric said something to one of the vampires standing around he left to what I guessed deal with Toni. Seeing as Eric had obviously dealt with Donald.

"Let's get you home." He said taking my hand and leading me out of the back door. He told me to get buckled in the car. I listened and saw in the side mirror that he was changing his shirt. Grabbing a clean one out of the small trunk. The grey tee fit him tightly, making my eyes roam all over that glorious covered chest and bare arms. He got into the front seat and didn't hesitate to pull off.

"You could have told me the real reason why we came here." I pointed out.

"I could have, I didn't. It all worked out." He said evenly turning another corner into a main road. The street was bright with lights, the night wasn't winding down in this city. It was just beginning. "Are you hungry?"

I shook my head. "I'm sleepy, you can take me home."

Eric shifted in his seat, glancing at me briefly before looking ahead. "You should eat."

"My brother came and took care of a few things. My fridge is full, the lawn is mowed, and we're going half on my Gran's bills." I snapped, I was too tired for his pushiness.

Eric hissed and sped up. "I _told _you that I would take care of it as long as you-"

"And I appreciate that, I _do_, but it isn't your responsibility. It's me and my brothers, she's _our _Gran. And as long as he's going half I'll be more than fine." I told him calmly although I felt like thumping him on the forehead for being so pig headed. This was my life.

"Fine." He said just as calm but I felt the tension and I saw it too. His shoulders were bunched up, and his jaw was set. I sighed helplessly, not knowing what to say. A bit after that I fell asleep.

I woke up to Eric holding me in his arms. In that moment I felt safer than I had my entire life. I pressed my head firmly against his chest and enjoyed the feeling of being cared for. I breathed him in. He smelled of pure male, mild cologne, and Eric. I wanted to stay in his arms forever but once he dug in my purse, and unlocked my door my bed wasn't but a second away. He laid me in my bed and brushed my hair behind my ear.

"You've been awake since I picked you up." He said.

I blinked up at him, the moon basking him in it's glow. "I liked being in your arms."

He froze there, staring down at me. I could see it in his eyes, the yearning, the need. "_Sookie_."

"Come to me." I plead, and snaked an arm around his and tugged him to me.

Suddenly his phone rang, it took him a second to realize this and when he did he pulled away from me. The phone appeared in his hand and he scowled at it. "It's the Queen."


	6. A Start

It was three days since that night Eric and I had almost made love in my bed. Three days since it had been interrupted by Sophie-Anne the Queen. And I was one bitter woman. I didn't show it however, I strolled right through the day with a Sookie mega-walt smile. I hadn't seen Eric since then or heard from him but I didn't let that get to me either. We weren't together, he wasn't my boyfriend.

I made my way back around my house to the lawn, I had flowers to revive. I settled into the dirt, sifted, cut, and sifted again at what used to be a pretty little patch of flowers. I wanted to get them up and living once Gran came back home. Gardening took my mind off of my life and how it was currently in peril for a while before Eric's voice came storming into head.

_"You're going to be mine." He had promised me. "Do you hear me?"_

My body shivered at the memory of his touch, his lips, his everything. _Oh darn it!_

I got up from what I was doing and gathered my tools up and restored them in the shed and then went to wash up. I needed to find something else to do with my time because Gardening wasn't cutting it and it was the middle of the day.

I was just thinking about sunbathing when I got a call from Lafayette. "Hey, Sookie here."

"Tara's missing!" Lafayette shouted.

I stilled, and leaned against my dresser. "No...Tara? When was the last time you saw her?"

"Last night, she and that fuckhead vampire got into an argument. She said she was going home but she didn't. She's _gone_, Sookie, gooone!" Lafayette was shouting, I even heard a few things being thrown around. "And her house is a fucking mess, and I found blood. He has her I know it."

"What time does the sun set?" I asked.

I heard a deep inhale and then, "Hookah, do you think I give a _fuck _when the sun sets!"

"Yeah I think you do, because I know a Vampire who can help us. And he won't be any help until the sun has set Lafayette. " I told him, a bit miffed at the anger he was putting towards me. Like I was the one who had kidnapped Tara.

I heard something else being thrown and then a puff of air through the speaker. "That vamp bitch who came to the bar?" Lafayette remembered Pam.

"Yeah, her, but it's her Master who's really going to help. This is his Area so it's kinda his duty to deal with these situations. It has to be against one of their...er...laws." I sort of lied. I didn't know what Eric duties were but I'm pretty sure they didn't want unwanted trouble with the government for kidnapping a human.

"You sure Sookie? This is my best...shit basically my only cousin we're talking about right now. I don't need to be fucking around with a damn vamp." He was right, Tara was practically the only family he had.

I nodded my head although he couldn't see me. "I'll drive there tonight, talk to him face to face. He'll help."

"I'm trusting you Sooks." Lafayette told me before he hung up.

Fangtasia wasn't opened when I arrived, the sun had just set. The club wouldn't be open for another hour or two but I knew Eric and Pam would be here. I knocked hard on the entrance door and waited. The door didn't open until two minutes later, right when I had raised my hand to knock again when it opened up. Ginger; short and petite stood in the doorway smiling cheerfully at me.

"Hey, girl, can I help ya?" She asked me helpfully.

I smiled back. "Yeah, I need to talk to Eric."

She gave me a knowing smile, "Yeah, sorry sweet cheeks but the only way you're going to be able to speak to him is if you come back during business hours."

I shook my head. "I'm Sookie, Sookie Stackhouse." I told her hoping it may ring a bell. "Eric will want to speak to me." Maybe I was a bit over confident but I didn't think he would turn me away.

She looked doubtful but she smiled at me again. "Sure, I'll go ask him. You wait here." She shut the door without another word and went to looking for Eric. I read her mind before she left and she was sure I was a fangbanger looking to be bitten but she was going to ask him anyway.

When the door opened again it wasn't Ginger doing the opening. Eric appeared at the entrance looking slightly confused on why I was standing on the other side. "Come in." And it didn't sound like an offer, more like a demand.

I came in and he shut the door behind me. "My friend has gone missing." I blurted out. And Ginger, who had lingered in the room gave Eric a terrified look and then shuffled out of the room. "Her name is Tara Thorton-"

"Why should I care?" Eric interrupted me coldly.

That stopped me, making my entire body still as a statue. "Because she's a really good friend of mine, and she's missing."

"Go to the police." Eric said so detached I wasn't even sure if he was in the room with me.

"Are you kidding me?" I hollered.

"No, I'm not. Go to the police, that's what you humans do when people go missing." He stated.

My breast rose up and down as I heaved. I was pissed, and I didn't even realize how much. "I came to you because I trust you, and I thought you would help me. Especially since the person who took her is a vampire and is in your territory. But I guess not, huh?" I snarled at him. I was angry, confused, and scared. It was hitting me hard that my friend was missing.

His face immediately softened when he saw how upset I was. I guess vampires weren't used to emotions like empathy. "Your friend is missing?" Eric asked like he hadn't heard me the first time.

I nodded my head, looking, up, up, and up at him searching for the lost emotion from before. "She's been missing since last night, her boyfriend..uh...Franklin Mott got into an argument and now she's gone. Her place is all messed up too."

Eric looked at me like he was puzzled about something, he closed the distance between us. His eyes roaming over my place, looking for something there. "And you came straight to me" He said softly, his breath cool on my forehead as he combed his fingers through the loose waves of my hair. It wasn't a question more like a statement.

I answered anyway soft like he did. "Straight to you."

He sighed heavily, although he didn't need to breathe. "I'll help you, Sookie. I need to make some calls first." And before I could process it and say something he kissed me on the forehead and it was the best sweetest kiss I ever received and then he vanished into his office.

"You are one _interesting _human." Pam said as she entered the room. She crossed the room to the bar and poured herself a cup of blood. She downed the cup, sucked her teeth and then grinned at me with white teeth. "What is it this time?"

I walked to the bar and slid onto a stool, placing my purse on the stool next to me. "My friend is missing."

She blinked, twice, and said nothing. Just looked into the inside of her empty cup. "I'm not good with petty emotions, Eric isn't either. I suppose you don't feel...great with your friend missing?" She didn't look up from that empty cup.

I shook my head, "Not great at all."

She nodded her head, still not looking at me. "I lost a friend once..."

"Did you find them?"

She looked back to me, and her eyes were filled with blood. "There were killed before I got the chance to." And then with lightning speed she had left the room and I was all alone with multiple shelves of liquor.

I reached over to pour myself a shot of something dark when a cool pale hand grabbed mine. That hand was connected to Eric. He pulled my hand gently, and I took the hint, sliding off of the stool and grabbing my purse. He pulled me beside him and without protest I walked with him.

"Franklin Mott doesn't belong to my Area, but I had given him permission to be here. And now he is missing." Eric said and with the grip he had on my hand he wasn't too happy about that. "I'm talking with the King of Mississippi about his absence right now."

"Oh...thank you." I said squeezing his hand with my own.

He looked straight ahead saying now, just nodding curtly. That made me stop right in my tracks. He was doing it again, the hot-cold thing. He was doing it and it was putting distance between us. Just three days ago he was going to be in my bed and now...he may as well be three thousand miles away. I wasn't the one to start this but I sure did want to see where it led.

I jerked my hand away and he let me. "Are you scared of me?"

He looked down at me and snorted, his eyes sparkling with laughter. "No, why would I be scared you little one?"

"I'm talking about you! Acting the way you're acting and what you said in the car. You're scared of being in a relationship, aren't you? The big bad Sheriff is scared of falling in love with a human!" I taunted him.

Oh, I shouldn't have done that.

In one fine swoop he had me off of my feet and in his arms, Eric's lips were on mine and my hands had circled his neck. His hands were in my hair pressing me firmly to his mouth. His other arm wound around my waist and kept me on his body. The kiss was divine, sensational, heart stopping, and hot. I wanted more him, I wanted it all. It scared the living daylights out of me.

"What happened?" I whispered into his neck as he held me, my breath coming hard and heavy.

He squeezed me until I could barely breathe. "I can't allow myself to have you..."

"You can! I want you...I've never wanted anyone my entire life. I've never-"

"_Sookie_" He said as a warning.

I continued anyway. "wanted, thought about, or needed someone so much. It's frightening, I barely even know...I don't know you at all. But I have these feelings, and I can't ignore them. I won't." I felt safe in my vikings arms, like no one could harm me as long as he held me. False hope I know but ignorance is bliss.

"Sookie, damn you." He hissed, but he didn't let me go. He pulled me away from his neck and kissed me hard on the lips, his eyes burning with emotions I couldn't decipher.

"You don't feel the same?" I said, as his fore head connected with mine. I looked at him alhtough his eyes had shuttered closed.

"Your very name can distract me from my duties, just the thought of you makes wherever my heart used to be yearn. Give me time, Sookie. _Time_." He pleaded.

I needed more, "Honey-"

He gave me a squeeze. "Just know you are mine, no one else's."

When I didn't reply he squeezed me again. "Do you hear me?"

"I hear you." I replied, nodding against his cool forehead. He placed me back on my feet and sighed.

"I'm going to make a few other calls and I'll call you." He informed me, and that sounded like a dismissal.

I asked, "Are you telling me to go home?"

He nodded, raking a hand through his thick mane of blonde hair. He kissed me on the lips and turned me around towards the door. "There is nothing more you can do right now, but go home. Talk to the locals, ask them when was the last time they heard from Tara. Do your part." And with that he opened the door pushed me out and closed it behind him.

Lafayette was going to have a _fit_.


	7. The Meeting

Lafayette was seething quietly in the kitchen, quietly as in banging shit around and not talking. He wasn't too fond of Eric Northman already, probably because Eric wasn't giving out any information he had found on Tara's disappearance. Typical vampire behavior I suppose, they didn't like to share anything.

I waited on tables, and did what a barmaid was supposed to do. All the while my mind was on Eric. Had he found anything on Tara? Was she still alive? And why the hell did he need 'time'? The bar was busy enough that I could distract myself some, but that didn't last too long. The rush ended in an hour and we slowed down to just twenty patrons. And that's when Pam sauntered in and sat in my section.

I came right to her, ignoring the Ratray's glares as I walked past them. Pam was dressed in pink, even her hair was tied up in a bun with a pink tie keeping it in place. She smiled, "Sookie, you need to come with me. _Now_."

I tried to find some type of hint in her eyes but they were devoid of any type of emotion. I felt eyes at my back and saw Lafayette staring at me from the kitchen counter. His eyes filled with hope. Sam stood at the bar watching the both of us, curious.

"Is this about the werewolves, or Tara?"

Pam shook her head, "The Queen wants to meet you. Now." Searching her face more closely I could see her jaw was set to stone and she didn't look happy behind that smile.

Knowing something bad was about to happen my smile widened until it stretched uncomfortably across my face. It was a habit. "Okay, let me talk to my boss." I rushed over to Sam and he put his towel down and leaned across the counter towards me.

"What's going on, Sooks." He asked.

"I need to be off, can Dawn cover my tables? I only have three if you count the Rattray's and they only want beer." I asked sweetly.

I tried to stop myself from reading my boss' mind and it was easy enough but sometimes his thoughts just came to me. And right now he wanted to say no and keep me here because he didn't want me going with Pam. Especially since he heard there was a male vampire escorting me places. How he knew this I didn't know. And I didn't ask. One problem at a time and all of that.

He nodded his head curtly, "Yeah, go. I got you."

I squeezed his shoulder and went to Lafayette at the counter. "I have to go meet the Queen."

His jaw dropped. "Oh, fuck. Is it that big?"

I shook my head, my ponytail whipping against my neck. "No I have problems of my own, but I'll probably see Eric and I'm going to check up on any information he has on Tara. I promise." I said, pecking him on the cheek and darting off to Pam. She was standing by the door now, and she walked out as I approached her.

She walked past my car and led me to a bright pink convertible. "Get in." She ordered before flouncing into the front seat. It was the first sign she had ever shown of being 'young', she had had been turned in her twenties by my estimate.

As we drove to Shreveport she stayed silent, and so did I. Until the quiet got to me. "Eric isn't mentally unstable is he?"

Pam burst into laughter, her face splitting into a smile. "Oh my god, I can't wait to tell him you asked that."

I smacked my lips, "I mean he wasn't like, schizo or bipolar before he was turned was he?"

She glanced over at me with amused eyes. "Um, no. Not to my knowledge."

I settled into my seat, and pouted. "He acts like it."

She kept driving, silent now. "I don't know what's going on with him, since he's met you he's been...different. I can't believe he hasn't even fucked you yet."

"Excuse me!?" I spluttered, shocked that she had even insinuate something like that. Even if it was kind of true that we had almost did the deed in the bed. Which would have been my first time and probably a big mistake. I wouldn't dwell on that right now though.

She shook her head. "Eric doesn't wait. He takes what he wants, it's what he's done for the centuries that I've known him and even before. It's in his blood, he was a viking."

I nodded my head. "Yeah I read about that online."

She snorted. "He killed the vampire who leaked that information."

That reminded me not to babble about the things I knew and keep my big mouth shut.

We arrived at Shreveport and I followed her into the back door, and into the bar. The place was packed and Eric was at his usual spot, on the throne shirtless. Letting the crowd gawk at him. It took everything I had to divert my attention away from all the sexual thoughts everyone was having about him. And it took some self control not to be upset about the females that wanted to screw him. My body and my soul screamed 'mine'.

As soon as we entered the room Eric noticed us and his attention snapped to me. His eyes burned with what no one could ever miss as lust. He looked me up and down and his tongue slid out to lips his lips. The vee between my legs melted at the sight of him.

He left his seat and sauntered over to us. The crowd parting as he walked and made his way over to me.

"Sookie" He greeted me, taking hold of my hand and kissing it slightly below my wrist.

"Eric." It took all I had not to take control and kiss his lips the way I wanted to. But I didn't. Because tonight I meet the Queen.

"Come with me." Eric ordered, his hand clasping with mine. I followed him into his office and he closed and locked the door. A hanger was hung up on the door frame and he took it down and handed it to me. "Here is a change of clothes. The Queen meets us in ten minutes." Eric began stripping his clothes off. First his shirt, and when he began pulling down his jeans I looked away. Eric wasn't wearing any underwear.

"It's only a cock, Sookie." Eric teased me, and he didn't sound too far away. I wanted to look behind me but I didn't know what I would find. I'm a virgin, I had never seen a erection in my life that wasn't in an anatomy book.

"It's yours! And now isn't the time for this." I said irately, not because I was irritated at him. I was mostly mad at myself. Being in a room with a naked Eric set my skin on fire and my heart racing. And I was nervous as hell.

"I'm dressed Sookie." He chuckled arrogantly behind him. I turned around to find him dressed in a fitted t-shirt, long blazer, and expensive looking suit pants. He looked good enough to eat.

He began closing the distance between us with his long strides and I pressed myself against the closed door until he was only a breath away. His hands went to my waist and he began pulling up my shirt. "Eric, wait."

"Hmn?" He rumbled, my shirt lifted above my bra and I helped him get it over my head. Not even bothering to stop the viking who took what he wanted when he wanted to. I liked it, I liked him. And I wanted him to take control, I was tired of wanting him to no avail. His lips pressed into my neck and trailed down into the cups of my bra. His fingers dipped into the waistband of my shorts and he unbuttoned them and began dragging them down my legs.

His body pressed into mine and it felt like heaven. "Remember what I said?" Eric whispered into my ear as his lips made a trail of kisses.

"I'm yours...and you're mine."

He chuckled, and damn if that was sexy. "I don't remember the second part."

"I said it." I told him firmly. Squeezing his biceps with my hands for balance.

His entire body stilled and he lifted his head to grin at me. "I'm yours, huh?"

"Yep."

"I shouldn't like that as much as I do." He said, his hands curling into my hair.

My breath came in short little inhales. My heart beat fast and I could see myself falling to pieces in his arms. The Queen was coming however. "Sweetie, the Queen will be here soon."

His eyes seemed to glaze over and the laughter and happiness I saw in them before left in a blink. He pulled away from me and went back to his desk. "The Queen arrived four minutes ago."

My heart skipped a beat at what that meant. Eric was keeping the Queen waiting. "Why aren't you rushing me?"

He shrugged, sitting in his chair. "I'm already defying her order why not keep her waiting?"

"What orders?"

He smiled and it wasn't a warming one. "To stay away from you romantically. You haven't really been allowing me to do that." He tossed me my clothes. "Get dressed before her little servant Andre storms in here and gets himself killed." I got dressed and Eric watched with his fangs extracted. It made me horny, needy, and scared at the same time.

As I was buttoning my blouse (which was mostly sheer) there was a knock at the door.

"Announcing the Queen of Louisiana and her second in command Andre." Pam said from outside the door enthusiastically.

I finished the button on my shirt and stepped away from the door. Standing next to the chair that sat across Eric's desk instead.

"Come in." Eric ordered more than offered.

The door opened and Pam entered the room first, keeping the door wide opened she ushered the royalty in. She didn't look happy about it either.

A small girl around fifthteen entered the room. She was plain in looks, but her transition into becoming a vampire made her beautiful. She was dainty and childlike and I couldn't believe she could actually exceed fear from people and vampires alike.

She glared at Eric. "What is your excuse for keeping me waiting?"

Eric didn't even blink in his Queen's presence. He continued sitting, with his body lax in the chair. "I was speaking with Sookie, and time got away I suppose"

Sophie-Anne and Andre turned towards me like there were one. "Sookie" They said together.

I waved from where I was standing ,which one only a few feet away from them. "Hello."

Sophie-Anne smiled wide, her fangs teasing her bottom lip. "Oh, aren't you a darling? I've been _yearning _to meet you."

And from the look she was giving me I could tell that _wasn't _such a good thing.

My life.

**A/N: I know this chapter was pretty short, but I hope you liked it anyway. Thank you for continuing to read this story!**


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